I am SO excited to share this information with all of you!!!
World Book Night 2013 is underway!!!
If you haven’t heard of it, you are in for a treat. And after you learn about it, please spread the word!
What is World Book Night? It is an annual celebration that spreads the love of reading. One on one. Person to person.
Tens of thousands of people go out into their communities on April 23 and hand out free books (half a million in the US, alone), sharing their love of reading.
World Book Night takes place in the US, in the UK and Ireland, and Germany with plans to expand to other countries as well.
Did you notice the FREE part?
I learned about it last year, and was fortunate enough to be selected to participate in the event. It was an awesome experience and I encourage anyone who enjoys books and reading to apply to be a “giver” as soon as you finish reading this post.
When you apply, you will be asked these three questions:
* Where do you intend to give away the books?
* To whom do you intend to giveaway books to?
* Why do you want to give books away?
You will also be asked a 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice of a book to give away. The 2013 list is here. I am also including images of the 2013 list throughout this blog post.
After you apply to be a “giver” you simply wait and hope you are chosen.
If you are chosen, in early April (approximately) you will be given a box with 20 brand new books (one of your 3 choices).
That’s it! Then, on April 23, your “obligation” is to go out into the world and give the books away. How awesome is that?
The whole process was well communicated. I was offered a choice of several nearby locations where I could go to pick up my box of books. I was given a window of a few days to collect the box, (I chose my library) and when the time came, I walked up to the desk and a box of fresh new books was waiting for me.
If you have never heard of this before, you might be questioning its legitimacy. All those free books!? Really??? Yes, REALLY !!
This is awesome collaboration of publishers, book sellers, libraries and volunteers.
I have already applied, and I hope that you do, too. What a wonderful way to share your love of reading.
Please explore the World Book Night website. You will find all the information you need, and the application to be a giver.
And please….. pass this information on!
Nicole
/ November 12, 2012Neat event! I’d never heard of this. I’m going to check it out.
sharechair
/ November 13, 2012It is just marvelous, Nicole. Well run, an awesome event. You are giving free books to pass out… what could be better?
Jacquie
/ November 12, 2012This is an awesome initiative.
sharechair
/ November 13, 2012It is amazing. I was so impressed last year, I was anxiously waiting for this year to get underway….. and here we go. Imagine all those books produced and donated and then gifted out into the world. Awesome.
teedeevee
/ November 13, 2012interesting. will be cool if we cant start it in SA as well. will google some more.
sharechair
/ November 13, 2012You’ll find lots of information with a google search. Testimonials of many who participated, as well. I’m hoping to get chosen as a giver, again. It was a wonderful experience.
teedeevee
/ November 13, 2012thanks, i googled and found info. passed on to a publisher friend as well in the hopes that we can do this big here.
sharechair
/ November 13, 2012Wouldn’t that be great!!! Here’s hoping!!
Daniela
/ November 13, 2012WOW! This is fantastic! I have not heard about it until your post, and now I am going to check the website. Maybe we can somehow bring it to NZ! I will try.
Thank you,
Daniela
sharechair
/ November 13, 2012Daniela, it is beyond fantastic!! Just imagine all those books produced, distributed and “gifted” out into the world for free. And the massive nature of it makes it even more extraordinary. I was so delighted to be part of it last year. I hope you can bring it to NZ !! Wouldn’t that be amazing!! ???
Daniela
/ November 13, 2012It wold be indeed, I am already looking into it -:)!
Have a nice day,
Daniela
sharechair
/ November 13, 2012The Presents of Presence
/ November 13, 2012You always have something new and exciting! I love to read and I love books! This is something I’ll definitely have to check out! Thank you!!
sharechair
/ November 13, 2012This is an amazing initiative. It is so awesome, it’s hard to believe. A real, true honest-to-goodness good-for-everyone kind of thing. Heartwarming. Excellent!! I was so excited to participate last year. It was an amazing experience to just hand out free books.
Laurie
/ November 13, 2012I think that this is a great idea, but I can’t think of where I would give out books. I live right across the street from a library!
sharechair
/ November 13, 2012Where to give out books? That’s easy … anywhere! A gym, an assisted living facility or a nursing home, the mall, a street corner. Last year I heard of people giving away books in all sorts of places I never thought of. Give it a Google…. no shortage of ideas!
elizabeth
/ November 13, 2012What a wonderful idea! I will be traveling at that time so won’t apply, but I’d love to give new books away.
sharechair
/ November 13, 2012It is amazing. I mean really…. you are given a box of books and your ‘job’ is to give them away. How cool is that!!! Hopefully it will continue into a third year, and you’ll have plenty of opportunity to apply, then.
Sumithra Sriram
/ November 13, 2012Wow!! Never heard of a concept like this before!! Hats off!! Maybe I could try out something like this in my university too!! Thank you so much for sharing!!
Cheers,
Sumithra.
sharechair
/ November 13, 2012You are right. It IS an amazing concept. Something so large, so GOOD, and all for sharing the love of reading. It is an awesome project, and I was so excited to participate last year. I hope it works out for you.
tchistorygal
/ November 13, 2012This is something I definitely want to do!!! Thanks for this great tip!!!
sharechair
/ November 13, 2012It is amazing. I marvel over the depth and scope of this whole project. All the publishers, book sellers, authors… everyone coming together to share the love of reading. It is sensational!
tchistorygal
/ November 13, 2012This would be great for high school teachers. Maybe I should repost your post on my blog. Then it will go out on my FB.
sharechair
/ November 14, 2012It is such a great initiative. Please spread the word!
tchistorygal
/ November 17, 2012Thanks!!!
Karen Zaun Kennedy
/ November 13, 2012Thank you so much for sharing this! I love it – it is so my kind of thing! I have already applied, and already decided if I don’t get accepted I’ll give away 20 books anyway.
sharechair
/ November 13, 2012Excellent! And what a special lady you are to go about this on your own, even if you are not selected. Super-Awesome = You !!!
Sayantika Adak Ghosh
/ November 14, 2012Reblogged this on My Song of Dusk and commented:
This is an absolutely amazing thing. I dont’ think this is done here in India. But I would so love to be a part of this…
sharechair
/ November 14, 2012It is amazing. It would be wonderful if it would expand to India and you could be part of it. Thank you so much for the re-blog!
Sayantika Adak Ghosh
/ November 18, 2012I would love to do so… let me know if you can help me with it…
sharechair
/ November 19, 2012If you go to the World Book Night webpage (the link is in my post), there is a spot to click at the bottom of the first page: “Want to see World Book Night in your country?”. That would be the place to start!
Sayantika Adak Ghosh
/ November 20, 2012hehehe now i feel dumb…. its like my “DUH” moment of the day!!! thanks
sharechair
/ November 21, 2012LuAnn
/ November 15, 2012Thanks for the tip. I have never heard of this event but am a voracious reader so I’m going to check it out.
sharechair
/ November 15, 2012It is truly the most amazing initiative. It is huge, run well, and shares reading …what could be better? Actually, I find it hard to wrap my mind around it all, that so many publishers, etc, are willing to participate. You get a whole box of beautiful free books to give away. Just awesome! I had such a good time with it last year.
tchistorygal
/ November 20, 2012Reblogged this on Marsha Lee and commented:
I used to give books away when I worked for Migrant Education. The kids’s faces lit up when they got to pick out a free book and take it home. For some it was the only children’s book in the home. Now individuals have that same rare opportunity to light up someone’s life to a book you choose for them. Have you read any of these? Do you recognize an author you love? Take your pick, sign up, and see if you are chosen! Thanks to Share Chair for spreading the word, and feel free to pass it on.
sharechair
/ November 21, 2012Thank you for spreading the word!! This is such an awesome program on so many levels. Yes… to give a book to a child who hasn’t had to opportunity to own many (or any) is a magic experience. Thanks again for helping to get the word out!
tchistorygal
/ November 21, 2012You are welcome. This is a great opportunity. I really appreciate the information that you provide in each post. I recommend your website as a regular read for everyone, even those not in education.
sharechair
/ November 21, 2012stuffitellmysister
/ November 20, 2012I LOVE this! And yes, I want to play! Thanks for this info! paula ♥
sharechair
/ November 21, 2012It was so wonderful (amazing) to get a box of books to give away! It is a fantastic program and I hope hope hope we are all selected to be ‘givers’!!
stuffitellmysister
/ November 21, 2012Me too!!!!
Jinna Hagerty
/ December 10, 2012I shared this all over Facebook and with my book club and another Facebook reading group. ___________ Jinna Hagerty, Volunteer Director AIGA Seattle http://www.aigaseattle.org
AIGA | the professional association for design
sharechair
/ December 10, 2012Hurray! Thank you for spreading the news!